Standard optical assemblies, e.g., firearm day scopes, camera-telephoto lens assemblies, and day-time monoculars, may need to be readily modifiable upon a change in lighting or atmospheric conditions, without going through the expense and burden of creating and carrying around a variety of custom-made optical assemblies for each type of condition. This is especially true for military operations that may take place in darkened harsh climates, e.g., where humidity or wind-strewn sand or other fine particles threatens to damage or wear any equipment, and where any excessive sound may inadvertently reveal the position of our military forces and put their lives further at risk.
Existing adapters designed to facilitate the connection of a second image modifying device to a standard optical assembly (e.g., connecting a night vision monocular to a camera) fail to address the above concerns. For example, existing adapters:
(1) have limited applications (e.g., are only operational with a subset of the optical assemblies carried around by most servicemen and women);
(2) are too complex and noisy to be quickly, quietly and securely assembled in the dark (e.g., requiring the user to carry and use Allen wrenches or other tools in the assembly or disassembly, lacking discernable labels or markings, and requiring the user to loudly snap a metal buckle onto the outer surface of the adapter in order to secure an image modifying device to the adapter);
(3) are not manufactured consistently (e.g., sometimes requiring additional components to be added in order to adjust an error in the focal length between lenses);
(4) are made with metals and other materials that erode, deform or rust after continual usage in harsher climates;
(5) unduly expose delicate components in the adapter and in the image modifying devices, e.g., wiring and pin connectors, to the elements during use or assembly; and/or
(6) are more expensive to manufacture by including the manufacture and inclusion of such delicate components in the adapters.